DEMOCRATIC DECENTRALIZATION IN AFRICA AND ASIA

This article summarizes recent research on one of the developmental fa shions of our time - democratic decentralization. After discussing var ious definitions of 'decentralization', it surveys the benefits that c an follow when democratic decentralization works well. Among these are greater responsiveness, increased participation and two-way informati on flow between state and society, and reductions in absenteeism by lo cal-level government employees and in corruption. It reviews decentral ization's limitations - notably its incapacity to facilitate poverty a lleviation. It then examines problems which can prevent decentralizati on from working well. It helps enormously if a country attempting it h as had a sustained experience of democracy, but that is not true in mo st of Africa and Asia. Finally, the article suggests approaches that c an assist decentralization to work well - most crucially the provision of adequate powers and resources from above, and measures to ensure t hat bureaucrats will be accountable to elected representatives, and th at representatives will be accountable to citizens.